Unloading structure for garment cylinders



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 O. E. KLING UNLOADING STRUCTURE FOR GARMENT CYLIDERS Filed DeC.

May 16, 1950 INVENTOR.

May 16, 1950 o. E. KUNG UNLOADING STRUCTURE FOR GARMENT CYLINDERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed DeC. 6, 1944 q W 4MM hm T. M@

l? 1N my T012. E? l Patented May 11.6, 19520 OFFICE UNLUADIN'G STRUCTURE FOR GARMEN'Ii CYLINDERS- Ulaf E. Kling, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Kling Bros. Engineering Works, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application December 6, 1944, Serial No. 566,878

(Cl. (S8- 210) Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in un loading structures for garment cylinders.

In commercial laundries and dry-cleaning establishments the removal of garments from the drum of a washing machine or other clothes handling cylinder is a dilicult and time-consuming task. If a large size Washing machine is filled to capacity there may be as much as nine hundred pounds of wet garments to be removed. This usually involves about twenty minutes of hard manual Work. In addition it is particularly inconvenient and difficult to get at the last batch of garments.

It is, therefore, .a general object of the presvent invention to provide in ya cylinder having an end door, means for facilitating the removal of garments therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a garment cylinder as above described and having garment lifting ribs therein, means under the control of the operator for creating a longitudinally extending incline at the top of each rib. The incline extends from the back of the cylinder to the garment opening whereby garments may be automatically unloaded as the cylinder is rotating.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction as above described wherein said incline is preferably created by means of a tiltably mounted elongated plate movable from a concealed position within each rib to a position where it creates the above-mentioned unloading incline.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction as above described wherein the elongated plate in each rib may also serve, during ordinary use of the machine, as a drainage partition.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means under the control of the operator for creating the inclined condition at all of the ribs simultaneously.

A further object of the invention is to lprovide an unloading structure for garment cylinders which is relatively simple to manufacture and operate and which does not appreciably increase the cost of the machine.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists of the improved unloading structure for garment cylinders, and all its parts andcombinations as set forth in the claims and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating T Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a washing machine, part of the casing being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a washing cylinder illustrating a modied construction, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral It designates a suitable supporting frame having legs II. near one side of the frame, rotatably support a shaft I3, and spaced bearings I4, near the other side of the machine, rotatably support a shaft I5.

A motor, or other source of motion, may transmit rotating movement through endless belt I 'I to a pulley I8 rigidly mounted on a stud shaft I9. Through a gear 20, rigidly mounted on the stud shaft I9, Vwhich meshes with a gear 2l on the shaft I3, the latter shaft is driven. The stud shaft I9 also has a sprocket wheel 22 thereon, which through suitable connections, drives the shaft I5 in unison with the shaft I3. The shafts I3 and I5 have rigidly mounted thereon drum supporting rollers 26.

A washing cylinder or drum 21 is positioned for rotation on a horizontal axis. The drum is equipped with external peripheral bands or tracks 28 which are cooperable with the flanged rollers' 26. It is apparent that rotation of the roller supporting shafts I3 and I5 will, through the medium of the rollers 26, cause rotation of the drum in a selected direction depending upon the direction of rotation of the prime mover.

The peripheral wall portion 23 of the cylin-V openings, Where such openings are located in an end wall.

The opening 30 is adapted to be closed by a door 3| which is suitably reinforced by radial ribs 32. These ribs are pressed outwardly from the outer face of the door and provide radial recesses 33 on the inner side. Movable in the recesses 33 are latching rods 34 which have latches 35 at their outer ends. These latches are operable through openings 36 in the periphery of the door to co-act with a circular recess 31 in the door frame. In Fig. 1 one of the latches is illustrated in locking position. The inner ends spaced bearings I2,

Hereto-fore garment cylinr 3 of the latch arms 34 are pivotally connected to a disc 38 positioned centrally of the door. The disc is rigidly connected to the inner end of a shaft 39, and the latter shaft is rotatable in a bearing 40 positioned adjacent the front of the door.

The shaft 39 and disc 38 may be partially rotated through manipulation of a suitable hand wheel on the shaft 39 to cause locking or unlocking of the latches 35. The above-mentioned construction, together with means for swinging the door to a position to expose the opening 30, is fully described in application of John Mikshel, Serial No. 550,407, filed August 21, 1944, now Patent No. 2,496,011 dated January 31, 1950.

The construction illustrated is a washing cylinder. The invention, however, is equally applicable to drying cylinders or to other rotatable garment handling drums. In the washing cylinder illustrated, there is at the end opposite to the end having the door opening, a solid wall portion 4I and an inner perforated wall or partition 42. The partition 42 is spaced inwardly from the Wall 4I to provide a liquid discharge chamber 43 therebetween. The liquid discharge chamber 43 has its periphery formed with discharge openings 44 which are adapted to be opened or closed by the action of a band Valve 45. The operation of the band valve forms no part of the present invention and is more completely illustrated and described in application of John P. J orgenson, Serial No. 479,559, i'lled March 18, 1943., now Patent No.

2,426,455, dated August 26, 1947.

Cleaning fluids may be introduced in any desired manner into the auxiliary chamber 43 while the valve 45 is closed. These fluids then pass through the perforated partition 42 into the main washing chamber.

The important feature of the present invention resides in the use of novel mechanism for causing unloading movement of the garments when this is desired. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, there are preferably utilized four garment lifting ribs 46 which are hollow and perforated, as at 41. The ribs extend from the door opening 3D rearwardly to the partition 42 where they communicate with openings 48 in the partition member 42 so that any water within the ribs may drain into the discharge chamber 43. The proper movement of this liquid within the ribs is augmented by the solid elongated plates or auxiliary ribs 49.

In the preferred form of the invention these plates have their forward ends pivoted to the ribs, as at 59. The upper edge of each plate is positioned in an elongated slot 5|, extending along the top of each rib 46. The plates are substantially the same height as the ribs and are normally entirely concealed within theribs. The rear end 52 of each plate projects through the opening 48 into the discharge chamber 43, and said rear end is provided with a lug 53 at its upper edge. Extending radially inwardly from each of the recesses 48 in the partition 42 is a slot 54. These slots permit inward movement of the elongated plates 49 when they are tilted on the pivots 50 in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

Extending rotatably through a bearing attached to the casing 55 is a shaft 51. The inner end of the shaft projects through a central hole in the end wall 4l and has a disc 56 rigidly connected thereto. The outer end of the shaft 51 has a rigidly mounted hand wheel 58. Rods 59, which are pivotally connected by pins to the disc 56, have their outer ends connected to the lugs 53 of the elongated plates 49.

When it is desired to unload garments after a washing operation, and after the liquid has been removed from the cylinder 21, then the door 3| is unlocked and is moved to an open position to fully expose the opening 30. Next the hand wheel 58 is partially rotated to pull the rods 59 to the position of Fig. 2. This causes a tilting of the elongated plates 49 to create an incline extending from the inner end of the cylinder to the discharge end, as is clear from Fig. 1. Next the cylinder is rotated while the door is open. During such rotation, the shaft 51, and Wheel 58, and rodoperating disc. 56 rotate with the cylinder in the bearing 55.

There is suicient friction to maintain the disc 56 and rods 59 in the plate tilting position. Due to the incline created at the top of each rib, the garments will gradually be urged, during rotation of the cylinder, toward the garment opening 30. It is to be noted that the top of the ribs 4S project radially inwardly well beyond the margin of the door opening 30. Thus garments are readily discharged from the opening as they are progressively moved toward the latter. As the garments approach the opening 30 actual remoi/TalV may be speeded up by manual help. It is apparent however, that it is unnecessary with the present invention for the operator to reach any distance inwardly into the cylinder in order to unload garments.

As a modification of the above idea, the` entire rib 46 may b e made toy tilt on the pivots 50 as is illustrated in Figs. 3 and, 4. The inner ends of the ribs will project through the openings 48' in the partition 42', and said openings are of sufficient height to permit tilting. Tilting movement will be actuated in the same manner as illus,- trated in Figs. l and 2.

During normal washing operations the tilt,- able plates 49, or tiltable ribs 46. of the modification, are maintained in untilted position. When, in this position the effective upper edges of the ribs are parallel to the periphery of the cylinder 21. During normal Washing operations the ribsl 46 and 46 carry out the usual function of longitudinal ribs in a garment cylinder. When used in a washing machine the ribs tend to lift the garment upwardly as the cylinder rotates and then drop the garments after they have been raised to such a height that they fall by gravity back to the bottom of the cylinder. This produces an effective tumbling of the clothes. During normal use of the invention in a washing machine, the solid elongated plates 49, which are normally concealed Within the hollow ribs, serve to guide drainage water which has entered the interior of the perforated ribs 46 toward the dis,- charge chamber 43.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and all of such changes vare contemplated as may come within the scope of vthe claims.

What I claim is:

l. In a garment-handling apparatus, a ro.- tatable cylinder having its axis extending substantially horizontally and having an end opening for the reception and unloading of garments, garment lifting ribs extending longitudinally in said cylinder, and an auxiliary rib member exp tending longitudinally adjacent at least one of said garment lifting ribs for varying the effective height thereof, said auxiliary rib member being tiltably mounted on a pivot near said cylinder opening and at one end of said member for move,

ment radially inwardly from a normal position to a. position where it forms a guiding incline leading to said cylinder opening to facilitate the unloading of garments from the cylinder while the latter is rotating.

2. In a garment-handling apparatus, a. rotatable cylinder having its axis extending substantially horizontally and having an end opening for the reception and unloading of garments, garment lifting ribs extending longitudinally in said cylinder, and an elongated plate normally sheathed within at least one of said ribs and extending in the same direction, said plate being tiltably mounted on a pivot near said cylinder opening and at one end of the plate for movement from a sheathed position to a position where it forms a guiding incline adjacent the upper edge of the rib leadingto said cylinder opening to facilitate the unloading of garments from the cylinder While the latter is rotating.

3. In a garment-handling apparatus, a rotatable cylinder having its axis extending substantially horizontally and having an end opening for the reception and unloading of garments, and garment lifting ribs extending longitudinally in said cylinder and tiltably mounted on pivots near said garment opening for movement radially inwardly from a normal position to a position where they form guiding inclines leading to said cylinder opening to facilitate the unloading of garments from the cylinder While the latter is rotating.

4. In a garment-handling apparatus, a rotatable cylinder having its axis extending substantially horizontally and having an end opening for the reception and unloading of garments, garment lifting ribs extending longitudinally in said cylinder, auxiliary rib members extending longitudinally adjacent a plurality of said garment lifting ribs for varying the effective height thereof, said auxiliary rib members being tiltably mounted on pivots near said cylinder opening for movement radially inwardly from a normal position to a position where they form guiding inclines leading to said cylinder opening to facilitate the unloading of garments from the cylinder while the latter is rotating, and means for causing tiltable movement of all of said auxiliary rib members simultaneously.

5. In a garment-handling apparatus, a rotatable cylinder having its axis extending substantially horizontally and having an end opening for the reception and unloading of garments, garment lifting ribs extending longitudinally in said cylinder, members extending longitudinally adjacent a plurality of said ribs for varying the effective height thereof, said members being tiltably mounted on pivots near said cylinder opening for movement from a normal position to a position where they form guiding inclines leading to said cylinder opening to facilitate the unloading of garments from the cylinder while the latter is rotating, a rotatable disc positioned axially of the cylinder adjacent the inner end thereof, and actuating rods extending from said disc to said tiltable members whereby upon partial rotation of the disc, simultaneous tilting of all of said members is effected.

6. In a garment-handling apparatus, a rotatable cylinder having its axis extending substantially horizontally and having an end opening for the reception and unloading of garments, garment lifting ribs extending longitudinally in said cylinder, members extending longitudinally adjacent a plurality of said ribs for varying the effective height thereof, said members being tiltably mounted on pivotsy near said cylinder opening for movement from a normal position to a position where they form guiding inclines leading to said cylinder opening to facilitate the unloading of garments from the cylinder While the latter is rotating, a rotatable disc positioned axially of the cylinderv adjacent the inner end thereof, actuating rods extending from said disc to said tiltable members whereby upon. partial rotation of the disc, simultaneous tilting of all of said members is effected, a horizontal bearing supported externally of the cylinder adjacent the inner end thereof, and a shaft journalled in said bearing and extending axially of the cylinder, said shaft having an end adjacent the inner end of the cylinder. said end being connected to said disc on the cylinder, and means for partially rotating said shaft.

7. In a garment-handling apparatus, a. rotatable cylinder having its axis extending substantially horizontally and having an opening at one end for the reception and unloading of garments, a partition adjacent to and spaced from the other end of said cylinder to form an auxiliary chamber, garment lifting ribs extending longitudinally in said cylinder from the garmentreceiving end to said partition, an elongated plate normally sheathed Within at least one of said ribs and extending in the same direction and having its inner end projecting into the auxiliary chamber, means providing for tiltable movement of said plate from a sheathed position to a position where it forms a guiding incline leading to said cylinder opening to facilitate the unloading of garments from the cylinder while the latter is rotating, and mechanism housed within said auxiliary -chamber for causing tilting movement of said plate.

8. In a garment-handling apparatus, a rotatable cylinder having its axis extending substantially horizontally and having an opening at one end for the reception and unloading of garments, a partition adjacent to and spaced from the other end of said cylinder to form an auxiliary chamber, garment lifting ribs extending longitudinally in said cylinder from the garment-receiving end to said partition, an elongated plate normally sheathed within at least one of said ribs and extending in the same direction and having its inner end projecting into the auxiliary chamber. means providing for tiltable movement of said plate from a sheathed position to a position where it forms a guiding incline leading to said cylinder opening to facilitate the unloading of garments from the cylinder while the latter is rotating, a disc rotatably mounted axially of the cylinder within said auxiliary chamber, a rod having one end pivotally connected eccentrically to said disc and having its other end pivotally connected to the end of the tiltable plate which projects into the auxiliary chamber, and means for rotating said disc to cause tilting of said plate.

9. In a garment-handling apparatus, -a rotatable cylinder having its' axis extending substantially horizontally and having an end opening for the reception and unloading of garments, a plurality of rib members mounted within and extending longitudinally of said cylinder adjacent the peripheral Wall thereof, each of said rib members being tiltably mounted on a pivot near said cylinder opening and at one end of said member for movement radially inwardly independently of the cylinder to a position where it forms a new guiding' .incline leading to saidcpening to mail itate :unloading lof. garments .from .the .cylinder while .the latter iis `rotating, .said end opening Q f the Cylinder fbeing .of `sucia -`size lthat portions of the longitudinally extending member project radiafllyfinwrdlym the periphery of saidopeiiiiig.

.1.(1. Ine garment-handling apparat/ue@ k-iffotatable cylinder having a ,xed exisgeitending "sup- Stantially horizontally fand Shaving :an .end .Opening. ferv the :.LeCeDiQiQnA and .Ulllgafiing ',Qf .faflems a plurality .of 'fri tme.:,Miers V.eroieoiiri-e resiially inwardly fromfhe inner .perphelll Well 0f ,Said cylinder .arid -exteiigiirlg longitudinally within. said @linden-each of said ,rib members heilig tiltably mounted on a pivot near said cylinder .opening 15 .and .at one .end .of .said vmember vfor movement '.radiallyinwardly independently of the .cyliricler to .a position where .it forms. a .guiding incline' leading .to `said .opeiing .to facilitate unloedixig of garments `fiom ,the .cylinder while the latter isV rotellina OLAF E. 

